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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23285881">You Say This Is Real. (You Can Try Convincing Me That)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RandomlySane/pseuds/RandomlySane'>RandomlySane</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Piece</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ace Gets A Ghost Ship, Ace Has Issues, Ace Will Not Join Whitebeard's Crew., Angst, BAMF Portgas D. Ace, But It Kind Of SUCKS So It's Basically The Same Thing, CURSED PINK BAG, Elyssa Is Like Sanji But Bisexual, Elyssa has issues, Especially for things that happen in 2020-2030, Gen, Historically Inaccurate 2020 Flashbacks, Kaku Joins The Spade Pirates, MAGICAL Pink Bag., May Include Things That Didn’t Happen In Real Life, Multi, Not Canon Compliant, Original Character(s), Portgas D. Ace Lives, Portgas D. Ace Needs a Hug, Solving Other's Issues But Ignore Your Own, Summary and Tag changes, The Problem Is That She's Stuck In A Child's Body, Undercover Kaku, gen z humor, literally.</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 10:29:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,292</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23285881</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/RandomlySane/pseuds/RandomlySane</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The world is <i>ruined</i>. </p><p>'ONE PIECE.' The story, written by Eichiro Oda and with a journey that's already being told. But higher beings from another universe made a mistake. One they can't fix. It's a mistake that leads to a whole another journey.</p><hr/><p>(SI-Insert with the Spade Pirates. Based on <b>This Bites! By Xomniac</b>)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fushichou Marco | Phoenix Marco &amp; Portgas D. Ace, Masked Deuce &amp; Portgas D. Ace, Monkey D. Luffy &amp; Nami, Monkey D. Luffy &amp; Nami &amp; Roronoa Zoro &amp; Usopp &amp; Vinsmoke Sanji, Monkey D. Luffy &amp; Portgas D. Ace &amp; Sabo, Portgas D. Ace &amp; Original Female Character(s), Portgas D. Ace &amp; Whitebeard Pirates, Spade Pirates &amp; Portgas D. Ace</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>74</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>205</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Precious Rare and Unique, Time Travel and World Travel</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Journey Start Pt.1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/4833515">This Bites!</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xomniac/pseuds/Xomniac">Xomniac</a>.
        </li>
        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/4833515">This Bites!</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xomniac/pseuds/Xomniac">Xomniac</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Unedited.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> ‘Ace died.’ </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> The thought felt too short, even as you rolled yourself into the blankets, still processing what you knew. It had already been two days since you finished Luffy’s flashback to his childhood with Ace and Sabo, and it was just another punch to the face when Ace made that promise. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Right after Sabo had died, he made that promise to his little brother.  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> “I will never die, no matter what.” </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> You groan into your pillow, dramatically trying to hold back your tears. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Damn it, Oda. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> ‘You can’t destroy my heart like this! I’m only eleven!’ </em>
</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>You really hate your roommate. (Which is surprising, really. Since you always tried to avoid using the word ‘<em> hate </em>’ and only used it for the former [assassinated] President Trump.) You disliked her before, but now you really do hate her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cause you died.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Accidentally. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Because of her, you died at the lovely age of twenty-five in the year 2030 by mistakenly drinking cyanide that was apparently in a hydro flask, with a sticky note that did not <em> stick </em>which said ‘DO NOT DRINK.’ </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The last flask that had that note was alcohol, and at that time, you <em> really </em>needed a drink.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The joke is, you don’t know what would be worse. People thinking you committed suicide or them finding out it was an accident.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now you really want to see your funeral. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>(You would also like to be <em> not </em>dead.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“-you alright? Oi, kid, you need to wake up-” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Everything sucked. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em> That’s what you learned about being an adult, trying to get a master’s degree in Media and communications [propaganda], not having enough money to pay the increasing debt you have in order to live, and being taught that everything you do must be done 1000% and never halfway did leave </em> <b> <em>some </em> </b> <em> stress. </em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> So stressing it became depressing. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> You let out an undignified snort, at least you have a great sense of humor, “I really do need a drink.” </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Swinging the refrigerator door open without much care, your eyes land on your roommate’s flask. You let out a scoff, ignoring the sticky note that fell from it and deciding that it was time for you to have a nice drink to get away from all these… things that are going on. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The metallic taste on your tongue felt <em> rotting </em>as you try to understand how dang stupid you were. Cursing your very existence and you know that whatever higher being was laughing at you during this very moment.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cause who dies mistaking cyanide for [beep]ing alcohol!?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>How will your family react? Knowing that you downed an entire flask of cyanide? Was the fact that it smelt like almonds and metal, not enough for you to know?! Or maybe the taste of acid should have been enough?!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was dark and it felt like an abyss as you brought your hands to cover your face. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Shameful…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Because even though it tasted disgusting and bitter, burning its way down your throat, you drank it all because it distracted you from an essay that was due. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everyone must think you’re stupid.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“She’s crying, why is she crying? What’d <em> you </em> do?! Wait, it’s just me here. What did <em> I </em>do-?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The worst part of all this?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You’re kind of relieved. Because if you are dead, <em> really </em>dead. Then you’ll never have to see the people in your life ever again. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>(Maybe… Just maybe… You can finally be allowed to cry about the little things and the big ones as well.) </p>
<p> </p>
<p>And you have no idea why that makes you relieved. You just know…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>How much of a selfish person you are to feel that.</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Age fifteen and you’re still trying to figure out why you avoid the topic of Ace when you’re with people who watched/read OnePiece. Not that there were many people you knew who was passionate as you, but still… </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> You hate talking about him. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> They always do a friendly laugh, “I’m still mad about his death, sure, and I really want to kill Akainu and destroy the blasted World Government-” </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> (They always say something along those lines.) </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> “-But aren’t you a bit too invested? Sure, not everyone moved on, but it’s like you’re taking it personally.” </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em> It’s a fictional character. What’s wrong about crying about it? Well, you wryly smile, </em> <b> <em>wanting </em> </b> <em> to cry about it. </em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Portgas D. Ace. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> He was never executed for being a pirate, but it was because of his father he never really met. Yet, that doesn’t even scratch the surface and that was the simplified sentence of it. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Ace was a character that was seen to Luffy as “unbeatable.” You know this because Luffy stated he never once beat Ace in a fight, and because of that broken promise. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Ace was captured, and instead of being locked into Impel Down as one of the worst criminals as he should have been, he was used as a stage prop to show how powerful the World Government. Used for a show, used to tell everyone in the world, “Roger, the Pirate King, was destroyed by us!” </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em> You figured this out after tireless nights of tossing and turning. Just trying to figure out </em> <b> <em>why</em> </b> <em> .  </em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> From the very beginning, he was told that he should never be born. When he was being executed, he witnessed his grandfather choose his duty over him. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Ace saw his friends get killed and slaughtered trying to save him, who could do nothing. He, who could not avenge his fallen comrade and instead caused more harm.  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em> It would almost be impossible to imagine that he </em> <b> <em>wasn’t </em> </b> <em> thinking that he’ll be the end of the crew that took him in. The very family that took him in despite his cursed blood, and you know it isn’t cursed. </em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> You know your blood relations do not truly define you are. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> But how can he think that? </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> When it was that blood that put him on that execution stand. So, that must mean his blood is actually cursed. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> ‘It isn’t fair.’ </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> What was the whole point of Oda killing him off? Character development? To show that OnePiece isn’t some fairytale world? </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> (You know that already. The Celestial Dragons and Robin’s past was already telling us that much!) </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> (But…) </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> (Luffy always rescued the day.) </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> It should be! It should be okay for you to watch it and not feel like the world is absolute trash! Why was Ace’s death celebrated all around that world?! Why did Akainu get promoted!?  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em> Why was there no </em> <b> <em>justice</em> </b> <em> ? </em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> When Ace was a good person? </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> “Luffy moved on, got stronger to protect his friends and to make sure it never happens again.” </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Yeah, you knew that. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> “He’s his brother. If he moved on, so should you.” </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Of course, Luffy moved on, time will always keep moving forward in his world. He moves forward to achieve his dreams and to not hold back his Nakama. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em> Portgas D. Ace is fictional in your world. Moving on is an </em> <b> <em>option</em> </b> <em> . You can binge-read fanfics of Ace not dying, you should be able to cry as much as you want to, and you can even ignore canon and write your own story.  </em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Hell, you talk to people in the same situation as you! Discord is a dream server after all! </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Yet…  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Everyone you know in real life always says- </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em> “You’re just being too </em> <b> <em>sensitive</em> </b> <em> .” </em></p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>You wake when you’re too tired of being asleep. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It goes slowly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The first thing you notice is the steady rocking of your body and you slowly relax to its gentleness and the slight humming you can hear. It goes by even slower, you taking in the smell of seawater and the sound of seagulls. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Heh.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s almost as if you’re on a boat at sea.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hm?” The man’s voice is soft as if he’s trying not to wake you up, “You’re smiling? That’s good, you were having a nightmare earlier.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Huh, what a weird afterlife.  </em>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Journey Start Pt.2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Portgas D. Ace will become Pirate King. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>will </span>
  </em>
  <span>and everyone who hates him for it be damned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Well, that was the plan. </span>
  <b>
    <em>Still </em>
  </b>
  <span>is the plan, but the first hour after leaving on his small fishing boat was spent trying to care for a child that fell from the sky.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A great start for his career as a pirate.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boat rocked steadily as he stared at the child passed out in front of him, he took a small poke at the kid’s cheek and found that she was still </span>
  <em>
    <span>freezing.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If it wasn’t for the fact that when she first arrived [dropped on top of him and causing his nose to bleed] here, </span>
  <em>
    <span>sobbing uncontrollably</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Ace would have assumed the kid was dead due to her temperature. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He frowns as he stares at the kid again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It would be better for him to leave her at the next island, but there’s no way he could leave her alone since she’s obviously sick. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, a wave hit their boat and he cursed, grabbing onto the child who was about to fall overboard. Forcing his body not to let go because it’s utterly revolted by her corpse-like body.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>[It’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>too</span>
  </em>
  <span> cold. Even </span>
  <b>
    <em>if</em>
  </b>
  <span> she was a corpse.]</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Huh.’ </span>
  </em>
  <span>This is going to be complicated. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘I should just wait for the girl to wake up to explain.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ace sets the girl on his lap, almost flinching from the frigid coldness of her, but she was still breathing. [Surprisingly.] </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘She’d be the same age as Sabo when he died…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl on him was shaking again, a hushed sobbing as the child unconsciously grabbed onto his hand that was pushing her bangs away. Ace berated himself when he almost pulled away out of instinct.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boat rocked and Ace sighed, knowing that he’ll have to let her go to tend to their course. But the kid is still shaking and no matter how many time’s he tries to calm her down, it’s fruitless.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yeah, it’s a pretty great start for becoming Pirate King.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He holds onto the kid tighter.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ace, on top of the treehouse, stared at the stars before glaring at it. Sabo would probably be able to name all these constellations, he was interested in it once. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He scoffs.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Celestial Dragons are people who rule the world. No one can touch them.” That’s what Dadan claimed, and all who oppose them would lose everything.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[If that’s true and if he had really set out to murder that vile piece of trash. Then, Ace would have lost Luffy.]</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He smashes the wall with his fist in anger, “That’s complete and utter-!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“-CE!” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[He almost stiffens at his brother’s voice. A million, no a </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>billion</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>, thoughts run through his head before his moves on auto-pilot to his brother.]</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>There was his little brother, tossing and turning while having a nightmare. “Luffy. Oi, Luffy! Wake up!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“A-Ace?” Luffy says, and Ace had never seen him as small as he was now, “H-Hey. Ca-Can you promise me something?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Yeah, sure.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>How was he supposed to respond to his brother that asked the same thing every other night? </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Promise me you won’t ever die.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Again. The same question he asked ever since Sabo’s murder. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“... Idiot. I won’t die, no matter what happens.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It’s a promise he’ll make a hundred times over to Luffy. Because Ace never wants to be the reason for another sleepless night.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He won’t wish that he was dead. At least, not out loud. Not if he could help it. Because Ace knows he isn’t Sabo who knows how to deal with nightmares.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He’s not the nice brother.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He’s the cursed one, but despite the proof of it being obvious. Luffy just doesn’t </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>care</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>. He cares about having his brother.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>So, he’ll give him that.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>(Even though it sometimes becomes hard not to wish. So, he’ll just wish that Luffy never learns the truth of being close to him.)</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>(If he did, then Ace knows he won’t be able to handle it.)</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Okay, day two of being a pirate and he’s already questioning his sanity. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Reason number one being that he didn’t bother keeping on course while trying to comfort the small child who </span>
  <em>
    <span>appeared </span>
  </em>
  <span>dead because she was absolutely still. Because of his choice, Ace had no clue to where they were at and just maybe he was hallucinating the girl in the first place.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Who falls from the sky?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Reason number two is that after he asked himself that question and deciding to glare at the sky, a bag fell from the said sky and </span>
  <em>
    <span>slammed </span>
  </em>
  <span>into his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Slammed. Into. His. Face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That wasn’t even the </span>
  <em>
    <span>end </span>
  </em>
  <span>of his reasoning. Because the nice (It was ugly) pink bag that he threw into the sea in frustration had somehow slammed into his face </span>
  <em>
    <span>again </span>
  </em>
  <span>and had come from the sky </span>
  <em>
    <span>again</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Causing a nosebleed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If he hadn’t been holding the kid at the time and trying not to scare her, then he would have shouted the loudest curse that even the worst pirates would have considered </span>
  <em>
    <span>obscene</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ace glowered, grabbing the oh so lovely bag and unzipping it to decide whether or not it’s worth the try to chuck the insides and hopefully not get hit by it again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He froze at the sight of a book having his brother’s face on it with big letters of the famous treasure, ‘</span>
  <b>ONE PIECE.’</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the hell?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He flipped the page open, pausing at the title ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>Romance Dawn,’ </span>
  </em>
  <span>before he recognizes Shanks on the cover. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ace glances at the girl again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A girl that resembles a corpse. A damn pink bag that broke his nose. A comic called ‘</span>
  <b>ONE PIECE’ </b>
  <span>that stars his brother. He narrows his eyes at the comic, laying down on the boat before realizing the girl was no longer cold as ice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl was smiling and he lets out a small hum. Ace speaks softly, patting the child’s head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re smiling? That’s good, you were having a nightmare earlier.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He really needs some answers right now. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Comments are loved and worshipped as if it's essential in my life. (P.S. It really is.) Also, please tell me about any grammar mistakes.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Journey Start Pt. 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ace reads the manga, OnePiece.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>OnePiece! <br/>
A Story of Great Adventure!</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>*******</em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>Ace really needs to thank Shanks as soon as possible for saving his brother and for taking care of those filthy bandits, probably even ask how the heck he managed to scare that giant fish away. </p><p> </p><p>The comic is almost exactly how Luffy described it to him. </p><p> </p><p>(<em> Almost</em>. Because Luffy sucks at describing things and remembering names. <em> “There was this big, bad, and stupid bandit that Shanks saved me from!” </em> … It can be <em> ‘exactly’ </em>as it can be…)</p><p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>*******</em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>Okay, so maybe Ace should have taken a bigger boat and maybe he should’ve known that Luffy would follow his example-</p><p> </p><p>But a whirlpool? </p><p> </p><p>Really?</p><p> </p><p>In East Blue?</p><p> </p><p>Not that Portgas D. Ace can be the judge of that because he’s pretty sure that a child falling on top of him and a pink bag being slammed on his face causing a nosebleed trumps a whirlpool, but <em> really </em>?</p><p> </p><p>Luffy, you ate a devil fruit! You should be smarter than that!</p><p> </p><p>…</p><p> </p><p>That’s just wishful thinking.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>*******</em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>Damn… “Pirate Hunter?” </p><p> </p><p>Hadn’t heard of him, but if this is the future, (which is highly plausible because it’s <em> Luffy </em>and his career already started with a kid falling from the damn <em>sky </em>), then he better finds an even better first mate.</p><p> </p><p>Then there’s that pink-haired fan-boy that came from that old hag…</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>*******</em> </b>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Hmm… Nami who hates pirates and is a brilliant navigator. Yeah, he could totally see what’s going to happen. </p><p> </p><p>Ace notes in his mind that he will have to pay a visit to Buggy. A nice and friendly visit to a certain clown that needs a gentle reminder that he should stay in a circus.</p><p> </p><p>And that he should never touch other people’s belongings.</p><p> </p><p>…</p><p> </p><p>Maybe he should also learn how to sew. </p><p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>*******</em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>Chapter 23:</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>“THE DREAD</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>CAPTAIN USOPP”</em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>Usopp? Isn’t that Yasopp’s son? What’s with his nose? </p><p> </p><p>Pft-</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>*******</em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>-and now Usopp is part of the crew and they have a pirate ship. Then there was the new crewmate, Sanji, after defeating Kreig</p><p> </p><p>Ace needs to get a ship... Not just some small fisherman’s boat. He also needs a crew.</p><p> </p><p>The boat rocked violently again as another wave hit them, he sighs and pats the girl’s head again and proudly grins while reading the comic in his hand, “There he goes again, my little brother exceeding my expectations again.” </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>He flips to the next chapter and takes a small glance at the tattoo he got before leaving for his journey<em> , </em>“Though, that isn’t much of a surprise. Right, Sabo?”</p><p> </p><p>Anyway, reverse mountain?</p><p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>*******</em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>“-a princess and a secret organization controlled by a Warlord. That’s just great,” Ace says out loud, despite the fact that no one is listening to him. “Makes me curious to how exactly this book exists, you know, how it came from the horridly pink bag that sucker-punched me in the face-”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>*******</em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>He ate the mera mera no mi. </p><p> </p><p> He joined another crew. </p><p> </p><p>The Whitebeard Pirates and he is currently hunting a lying bas-</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ‘That isn’t really important.’ </em>
</p><p> </p><p>It’s just the fact that the book seemed far too real to be called fiction. Meaning that the man he was planning on killing ended up adopting him in the future.</p><p> </p><p>And in the future, he called someone <em> “Oyaji.” </em></p><p> </p><p>Ha, that isn’t going to happen-</p><p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>*******</em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>Currently, there are a tanuki, a cyborg, an archeologist that the world government wants, a navigator that can create storms, a chef with chivalry, a swordsman, and a master sniper.   </p><p> </p><p>All of which now have bounties. </p><p> </p><p>Invading Enies Lobby is a great way to get a boost in a bounty.</p><p> </p><p>(Also, the world government is going to burn. Nico Robin and those other scholars should have never been prosecuted for studying history.)</p><p> </p><p>(Not at such a young age.)</p><p> </p><p>(Not for something like that.)</p><p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>*******</em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>The Yami Yami no mi. Was it really so strong that someone would kill their nakama for it?</p><p> </p><p>Ace memorizes the pages of his <em> ‘future’ </em>fight, every last detail of Marshall D. Teach’s powers and crew. </p><p> </p><p>He’ll win the fight.</p><p> </p><p>That.</p><p> </p><p>Ace is sure of.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>*******</em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>-punching a Celestial Dragon is something he fantasized about. After what they did to Sabo-</p><p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>*******</em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>-Kuma can go and die. How dare-</p><p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>*******</em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>It takes a while for him to realize it, but the book, despite its mediocre size, held more pages than it should. Something he realized when he could no longer read because it was nighttime, making him light the only lantern he had on hand.</p><p> </p><p>The girl, who was placed in front of him, laid still.</p><p> </p><p>He flips to the next chapter, remembering past events he read.</p><p> </p><p>Amazon Lily. Impel Down. MarineFord.</p><p> </p><p> (<em> MarineFord. </em> The Whitebeard Pirates came and attacked MarineFord for him. People are <em> dying </em>because of him.)</p><p> </p><p>(Gramps <strike> couldn’t </strike> wouldn’t do anything as he stood on the execution stand.)</p><p> </p><p>(<em> Luffy </em> who was on death’s door, several times, to save him. Yet, his little brother is still at death’s door for him.)</p><p> </p><p>(Akainu.)</p><p> </p><p>(A fucking bastard)</p><p> </p><p>The title of the new chapter makes him stop.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>Chapter 574:</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>“Portgas D. Ace Dies.” </em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>And Ace doesn’t feel like reading anymore. Not yet. </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Ace was sleeping (trying to sleep), the small fishing boat floating around without a course. <em> Almost </em>making him berate himself for performing the miniature blunder that could cost them another week at sea, but…</p><p> </p><p>Eh.</p><p> </p><p>He’s sure he won’t die from something so small, he’s sure it’ll be something <em> big </em> that kills him, like a <b> <em>war </em> </b>or something. And the girl is already dead but… not really? It didn’t feel right to call her among the living, but calling her dead felt worse. Not to mention that it’s so damn weird. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Poke. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The girl spoke in annoyance, roughly poking his cheek, “Hey, I may have died in a stupid way, but the Gods should’ve been kind enough to give me an angel that’s <em> awake </em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Ace snorted, grabbing a hold of the finger with a grin as he opened his eyes to meet the girl, “That’s rather strange, calling a stranger an angel when I’m definitely not one. Didn’t your mother teach you not to say stuff like that to strangers?”</p><p> </p><p>“... Does your name happen to be Portgas D. Ace?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yup.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>You stared.</p><p> </p><p>Portgas D. Ace stared back with puffy eyes and a grin that barely stayed on. The <em> boy, </em>boy because he definitely isn’t twenty, boy because he still looks as if he’s growing from his childish cheeks, and boy because of that look on his face.</p><p> </p><p>A look that shouldn’t be there.</p><p> </p><p>Calling him an angel was meant to be a joke, (very similar to your life,) because it was very obvious that this wasn’t really real.</p><p> </p><p>It can’t be real.</p><p> </p><p>But the expression Ace held felt human and <em> strange </em>and you hated it. </p><p> </p><p>Because it was obvious he cried earlier, just as obvious as the clear rocking of the waves, as obvious as the smell as salt, and as obvious as to how real it all is. </p><p> </p><p>“Ace?” Your voice felt tiny and whispered, but he seemed to hear it clearly. </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, kid?”</p><p> </p><p>This was the man you wished stayed alive because he was <em> good </em>. A good man deserved happiness.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you so much for being alive.”</p><p> </p><p>Ace’s eyes widen in shock before he grabs you into a hug and cries. Very ugly with snot crying as he barely babbled a ‘thank you.’</p><p> </p><p>A ‘thank you’ to you who just died.</p><p> </p><p>And to you who was <em>alive </em>. </p><p> </p><p>It couldn’t have been stopped what happened next, you and Ace sobbing uncontrollably. Two people who didn’t really know each other. </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Journey Start Pt.4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b> <em>The Short Chapter Of Helping Each Other! (AKA: Emotional Mess)</em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>*****</em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>“I-It’ll be a-alright.” The words of comfort, you don’t know if you say it for your sake or for his. Nevertheless, Ace takes it to heart while you constantly tell yourself:</p><p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>You’re alive.</em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>Sobbing into a fictional character’s embrace as he thanked you for thinking he should be alive, which was weird because thinking one should be alive <em>should </em>be normal.  </p><p> </p><p>It should.</p><p> </p><p>What isn’t normal is you.</p><p> </p><p>“I-I promise that i-it’ll be fine.” The words come out shaky because you know that both you and him have a hard time believing it, “Everything is o-okay. We’re both here.”</p><p> </p><p>You can’t even begin to comprehend the reason why you’re crying so much right now. </p><p> </p><p>Ace looks back at you, a child, holding onto him and shivering, quietly sobbing and trying your hardest to comfort both him and in extension: Yourself.</p><p> </p><p>That’s right. He’s being comforted by a child, which shouldn’t be happening, he should be the one who’s comforting the kid.</p><p> </p><p>Ace gathers his thoughts together and sighs, collecting any false courage he has to speak, “You’re right, everything will be fine, kid.”</p><p> </p><p>And you pathetically believe him when he doesn’t. Not really.</p><p> </p><p>He hugs you tighter, noticing the small warmth that differs from your earlier state. </p><p> </p><p>That was good. It was better than before.</p><p> </p><p>“... Name?” </p><p> </p><p>Ace blinked. </p><p> </p><p>“What?”</p><p> </p><p>The girl, Ace finally realized he didn’t even know her name, looked up at him. Seemingly beginning to doubt the words she’ll speak, “... Would you like to know my name?”</p><p> </p><p>Ace blinked again and raised his brow, “Well, uh, yeah. That would be nice. It would also be nice if I got to know more about you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Elyssa… My name is Elyssa.” You pause, before deciding to pronounce it better, “Eh-leh-sa. It is a pleasure to meet you, Portgas D. Ace. If only it were under better circumstances.”</p><p> </p><p>Circumstances? Kid, you fell from the sky and onto him. Followed by a pink bag that slammed into his face and had a book of his brother’s future adventures. (And of his death.)</p><p> </p><p>From an objective viewpoint, the circumstances would be considered <em>great </em>because whatever <em>this </em>was, it could be worse. </p><p> </p><p>Ace hums, slightly surprised at your voice, “Elyssa, that’s a unique name.” He tilts his hat in your direction, any traces of them crying before was now gone, “I’m Ace, the one you fell on top of.”</p><p> </p><p>Confusion flashed on your face, “...Fell?”</p><p> </p><p>He nodded and pointed up to the sky, “Yup, fell from the sky with this pink bag.” Ace lifted the bag and glared at it before grinning back at you. “So, are you an angel or something?”</p><p> </p><p>You stare, trying to process the joke, (because it can’t be anything else,) Ace said with your mouth open like some kind of fish. Deciding that you rather not look like a fish, you reply without thinking. “I wouldn’t know. Do you think a person dying by drinking poison can become an angel?”</p><p> </p><p>“...What?”</p><p> </p><p>Oh. You’re really stupid. </p><p> </p><p>You nervously looked to the side and let out a low and <em>obviously </em>fake laugh, “Well, what I meant to say that I was a perfectly normal person in a world where your brother’s adventures are put in a manga. Age twenty-five, formerly majoring in Media and Communications, also know as Propaganda. Then pair that up with the two other majors of Psychology and Human Resources.”</p><p> </p><p>Ace’s face stayed incredibly neutral that you would give him an Oscar for staying calm in a situation like this. But, you just selected to converse to avoid any type of awkward silence. </p><p> </p><p>
  <strike> (You just don’t want to acknowledge what you’re saying yet.) </strike>
</p><p> </p><p>“I was actually pretty great at that stuff! Getting my master’s degree at that age. Of course, I needed to pay the bills and whatnot. So, I was a small-time actress.” </p><p> </p><p>It was a pain. Three majors were extremely difficult to keep up with, but you loved the classes and the benefits that came with it. </p><p> </p><p>“The job was alright. The school accepted the job as part of my credits. Though, for the last few weeks, I’ve been getting these major headaches because of all the stress and decided to drink some… uh, alcohol.”</p><p> </p><p>You refused to see the expression that Ace held as you continued to speak. A part of you realizes that just maybe, you made the wrong choice and that there will definitely be an awkward silence you tried avoiding earlier.</p><p> </p><p>“Alcohol that turned out to be poison? I mean, my roommate was an eccentric photographer and stored the cyanide she used in a flask, the same flask that usually holds alcohol- Well, I’m sure you can guess what happened…”</p><p> </p><p>Shrugging and turning your body to look out at the ocean. It was vast and it was real, “Death by poison and then I somehow end up falling from the sky into another world. So, do you still think I’m an angel?”</p><p> </p><p>Nothing. You can handle that, it isn’t much of a surprise-</p><p> </p><p>“... I think you’re a kind person,” Ace says as if everything else you said didn’t matter, “You <em> died, </em>but the first thing you do is thank someone else for being alive.”</p><p> </p><p>You still refuse to look at him.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s true,” Ace begins again, “You know what I am and yet-”</p><p> </p><p><em> Why? </em><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“<b><em>Nothing </em></b>is wrong with you! Ace, you never should have died!” You snap to look at Ace in the eyes. Ace, who had a look of immense gratitude before you went and told him the truth he refuses to accept. </p><p> </p><p>“Portgas D. Ace or Gol D. Ace; It doesn’t matter!” You say because it really does <em>not </em>matter, “You’re a kid, who was born from the love of your parents and from a mother who decided that you deserved to live. Ace, you have a brother, who would yell to the entire world that he’s your younger brother and he will stand proud of that fact. Because Luffy knows you and he loves you, Ace. The world doesn’t know who you are, doesn’t know the man-”</p><p> </p><p>It felt wrong, like a horrible twisting in your gut, trying to convince a <em> boy </em>that a person’s parents shouldn’t dictate who they are.</p><p> </p><p>“-that would go around bragging about his little brother when that little brother gets his first bounty, they don’t know of the kind man that would allow a bunch of weak villagers to tie him up and raid his pantry because they were hungry, and they don’t know of the man who cares for his nakama that he would stay in the snow for hours, weaving a straw hat for a friend he only talked to for a few times. Ace-”</p><p> </p><p>You hate seeing how <em>touched </em>he is about all of this. </p><p> </p><p>“-they don’t know you. You are man filled to the core with ambition but also plagued with insecurity because of people who are <em>strangers. </em> Ace, those insecurities stem from <em>lies</em>. You are not a monster nor is your blood cursed.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Stop it. Stop looking so touched. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Ace, I am so very happy that you were born. There is also another person who you deem super important who thinks the same thing.” So, you smile at him despite how hard it was, (because trying to motivate someone that their life means something after death is something you rather not do,) “Luffy, right? Isn’t what he thinks important? If you don’t believe me, shouldn’t you believe your cute little brother?”</p><p> </p><p>Ace looked like a baby as he tried to speak, only failing in the end as he patted your head and pulling you in a hug as a silent <em> ‘thank you </em>.’</p><p> </p><p>After a while, he speaks, his voice is low, “Me too. I’m glad you’re alive too, Elyssa.”</p><p> </p><p>Everything was looking like a great start. <em>Of course</em>, Ace thinks, <em>the word "was" is past tense</em>. Because throughout the whole commotion with all the emotional sobbing and whatnot, no one noticed the small boat catching onto a current leading to an island, surrounded by whirlpools that destroy every ship that goes near it.</p><p> </p><p>No one noticed at all.</p><p> </p><p>It would have been fine, Ace knows, because he could swim. </p><p> </p><p>You couldn't swim if your life depended on it, and it wasn't because of some devil fruit but because of your past self's stubborn refusal to exercise and your laziness to dress up in swimming clothes. </p><p> </p><p>(Yes, it is a great start.) </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tell me what you think?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Journey Start Pt.5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Unedited.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>The Chapter of Ace and Masked Deuce! </em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Six days after crashing: Masked Deuce]</b>
</p><p> </p><p>It’s been six days since he’s arrived on this island. </p><p> </p><p>Five days since meeting the person named Ace, (<em> ‘Gold Roger’s son- Kami, he was such an arse for how he reacted </em> ,) a day passed since Ace ate the mera mera no mi, and not once did his companion stop searching the island for another (supposed) survivor. <em> “A girl, I was with a little girl before. She should be around here somewhere…”  </em></p><p> </p><p>The Island of Sixis, that’s the name according to what he remembered reading about once, is a paradise that disguises its own hell. Pure white beaches with clear water inside its reef, but beyond that are deadly whirlpools surrounding the island- (A paradise, because all who goes there would never leave. Yeah. Because you can’t.) Pulling everything that comes near in and never letting it go. Food is scarce, some fruits fell from a passing bird or from the current, or the food is the passing bird if one manages to catch it. </p><p> </p><p>And Ace had been here a week longer than he had. Not once finding any trace of anyone else. </p><p> </p><p>It’s impossible for a child to survive.</p><p> </p><p><em> “Well… I don’t think that- uh, what I mean to say is that I highly doubt she’ll die so easily… Since she’s kind of already dead…? In a sense? Not that she’s dead </em> <b> <em>dead</em> </b> <em> , but dead-ish…? The girl I was with fell from the sky.” </em></p><p> </p><p>…</p><p> </p><p>Devil fruits, the one from myths, exist. The dude he’s with is Gold Roger’s son, but he is actually a good guy despite the stories he’s heard about the people associated with the Pirate King. And now, apparently, said dude had a girl (child) fall on top of him in the middle of the ocean for no reason-</p><p> </p><p>Yeah. That’s his life. </p><p> </p><p>Masked Deuce is also pretty sure there is something more than that with the constant questions he’s receiving. He lets out a sigh, still drawing out the little blueprint of the ship that would be able to get them out of this island in the sand as Ace stares up at the night sky. </p><p> </p><p>“... Hey, do you know what <em> Human Resources </em>is? There’s a major for that, right?”</p><p> </p><p>The campfire burns brightly, and Masked Deuce, a name given by someone he’s starting to call captain, internally sighs. Again. (A few hours ago, Ace didn’t even know what a <em> major </em> actually meant.)</p><p> </p><p>The man flicks the stick in his hand into the sea, “From what I remember, there’s something called <em> Human Resources Management </em>. Uhh… Which is basically where you learn to recruit and produce a safe work environment…? I don’t actually know much, captain.”</p><p> </p><p>Ace sits up and his tone is questioning, “... That means opening up your heart to people you just met-?” </p><p> </p><p>“What? No.”</p><p> </p><p>“But if you had a major in psychology as well-”</p><p> </p><p>“It doesn’t work that way.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh.”</p><p> </p><p>Deuce tried not to show how much Ace’s reaction bothered him, (the man was stuck on the fact that a stranger thought he should be alive so sincerely,) because his life is already flipped upside down too many times in one week. And he’s sure as hell not going to let the apparent implication that Ace knew a child that is taking some majors in Psychology and Human Resources Management. </p><p> </p><p>(How they go hand in hand with opening one’s heart, he doesn’t know nor does he understand the allure of taking those two majors together.)</p><p> </p><p>“It would be weird if that was the case. “</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, really weird. ”</p><p> </p><p>…</p><p> </p><p>“Is there a major about <em> Media and Communications, </em>is it possible for that-”</p><p> </p><p>“Ace, I am going with ‘<em> No </em>’ because people do not open their hearts to each other based on the subjects they’re studying or anything like that. Also, I never heard of a major called Media and Communications.”</p><p> </p><p>“... Are you sure?”</p><p> </p><p>He looks back at Portgas D. Ace, trying to make sense of what he’s been told about the child. ‘<em> Elyssa,’ </em> Ace claims, <em> ‘One of the first things she did was thank me for being alive. Weird, right?’ </em></p><p> </p><p>Deuce coughs into his hand, pointing to the night sky as he stared at his captain straight on, “This… uh, girl, suddenly fell from the sky right and then disappeared, nowhere to be found,  um, soon after telling… I mean right after your heart to heart, right?”</p><p> </p><p>Slowly, Ace sits up and nods his head, “...Yeah, something like that?”</p><p> </p><p>The masked man clapped his hands together, “Okay. From what I’ve learned, she didn’t seem human and recognized you the moment she woke up- So, perhaps, it’s possible that she’s some kind of angel sent to cheer you up and get rid of any bad thoughts…?”</p><p> </p><p>Ace looks at him, a blank face, and then looks at the fire which moves erratically as his captain stared at it, “I said something like that too, but she rebuffed it with her own death and all that jazz?”</p><p> </p><p>“Then maybe she’s a new angel and you weren’t supposed to know and she came up with a sucky lie?”</p><p> </p><p>Inside. Deuce cheered and screamed- Yay! What a load of bull coming out of his mouth. WHAT!? What in the world is happening? Is this what it means to go out to sea?</p><p> </p><p>“...That’s a <em> nice </em>thought. I guess…” The fire quiets down and Ace looks back at him with a smile, “Thanks for listening to me, Deuce! It means a bunch!”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p><em> He was angry. Angry at the person in front of him, who talked about his brother with a smile. (They were </em> stuck <em> on this island and they weren’t leaving. The person in front of him came to sea willingly. Even with a family at home.)  </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> It was different for him, because he would never be the perfect doctor they wanted,  he left and now there’s no one back home who would wait for him or even think about him-  </em>
</p><p> </p><p><em> So, he got angry and yelled, saying something along the lines, ‘It must be nice to have a brother not related by blood at home thinking about you. I bet you’re </em> <b> <em>blessed</em> </b> <em> , with a loving mother and father at home thinking about you.’ </em></p><p> </p><p><em> ‘So, why are you even </em> <b> <em>here</em> </b> <em> ?’ The words are unsaid, but he’s sure the person understands what he’s saying.  </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Why would Ace leave something like that? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Then Ace says that they’re gone. But Deuce still has excuses, still defends his reaction because he’s worse off than the person in front of him. (Selfish, he knows, but so is the person in front of him. Why? Why leave something that not everyone has and what everyone would want?) </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “For me, the only thing I remember from my parents are the words, ‘Don’t embarrass me.’ At least you got your happy memories with your parents-” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Ace cuts him off, awkwardly, “I don’t have happy memories with them. I… don’t know my mom’s face and my father, um, was a criminal executed before I was born.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> … </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Ace’s face is dark and somber at the mention of his father, and Masked Deuce, (a name that only became while on this island,) scoffs. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “You’re self-conscious.” His words are harsh, it’s a tone that he’s familiar with because of his own family, and a tone he learned to use when angry. Something he inherited from being around them too much, Deuce reckons.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> In an objective and even truer viewpoint, he knows that you can have people bound to you by blood, but that does not mean you’ll be like them. (He’s an example like that, similar in only the smallest of aspects, but never the same.) It is even truer if you never even met them. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> With a roll of his eyes, and Deuce tries to be more comforting, “You shouldn’t be. It’s not like you did anything wrong, right? So, don’t make such a sour face! You shouldn’t let it trouble you.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Ace’s face darkens, and there’s a small snort from him as he starts to babble- Loud and disbelieving, and acting as if he remembered something from the past.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “So, just because my father is a criminal, that doesn’t make me bad, does it? Hah! I’m just being self-conscious! No one will mind if there’s a child of a famous criminal around as long as they’re innocent, right?” Ace looks at him, but it’s like he isn’t seeing him at all- </em>
</p><p> </p><p><em> “I’m sure that someone would just be thankful that a child is alive, right? Because life is precious? Because I’m not crazy enough to think up some imaginary girl that would say that to me, right? She’s just like you, you wouldn’t mind if some kid is the Pirate King’s, Gold Roger’s, child, right?! The world’s </em> <b> <em>worst </em> </b> <em> criminal! It makes me want to die! But it isn’t like that for you, right? Right?” </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Ace stared at the ocean as those words left his mouth, and the shadow from the clouds made it hard for Deuce to see what that person was thinking.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “...What?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Slowly and deliberately, Ace nodded his head, a silent confirmation. </em>
</p><p> </p><p><em> “R-Roger…? Gold Roger…? </em> <b> <em>That </em> </b> <em> one…? The </em> <b> <em>Pirate King</em> </b> <em> , Roger…?” </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The sun was already setting, making the sky stain red around them, the chirping of birds fell silent, leaving only the waves, and nothing else.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The Pirate King, Gold Roger. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The world is changed because of him, and now it’s always, ‘Before Roger and after Roger.’  </em>
</p><p> </p><p><em> And there is no good amount of words to ever describe the fear Deuce felt hearing the stories about </em> <b> <em>That Person</em> </b> <em> and how it felt like Gold Roger would come out of those tales being told to strangle him. Because that thing is a monster from the depth of the seas and- </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> (When one is starved from food and water, they usually end up telling the truth.) </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> (Ace isn’t lying.) </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “I-I got to go.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Ace’s eyes widened and any chance of the usual cheer coming back that the man had, disappeared as he reached out a hand- “Wait, hold on, l-let’s build a boat together! So, we can leave!” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The person in front of him shares the same blood as That Person, and he… </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “I have no intention of receiving help from someone like you.” </em>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Masked Deuce looks to his new captain who’s quickly fallen asleep, resting on top some hideous looking neon pink school bag, and he looks back to sea. </p><p> </p><p>It was only after realizing that Ace was a good person, did he take back his words and apologize. </p><p> </p><p>(Portgas D. Ace had offered the only fruit on the island to him without a second thought and a smile despite the fact that Deuce was planning on killing for that fruit. At the time, he thought, <em> ‘It was its son, so it’s a favor to the world.’ </em>)</p><p> </p><p>Deuce was wrong and that fact slapped him right across the face, because Ace is… Ace. A good man. </p><p> </p><p>The world would never have enough good men in it. </p><p> </p><p>With that thought in mind, he himself drifted off into sleep.</p><p> </p><p>(<em> ‘An angel, huh? Maybe he should start believing in God and thank him for his help.’) </em></p><p> </p><p>[-Four Days: Morning-]</p><p> </p><p>Since eating the mera mera no mi, Ace had been practicing controlling his newfound flames. Because of that, both of them were able to build a boat that utilizes the fire and would be able to free them from the wretched island. </p><p> </p><p><em> ‘Striker’ </em>is the name that was decided, a nice name, and Deuce moved aside the food rations they found into the small space made at the bottom of the boat.</p><p> </p><p>To the side, Ace flipped through the last pages of a blank book in his hands, reading with a weird sense of determination on his face despite the fact that it’s blank. The small neon pink bag on his back as they prepared to leave in a few minutes. </p><p> </p><p>“Captain, why are you so focused on a blank book? What’s so special about it, you’ve been looking at it for a few days, too.”</p><p> </p><p>Ace looked back at him, confused before a grin etched onto his face, “Oh, it’s something called a ‘<em> manga </em>’ that’s similar to a comic, and it’s about my brother.”</p><p> </p><p>“... It’s blank.”</p><p> </p><p>He laughs, “Is that so?”</p><p> </p><p>Deuce sighs, “I swear, sometimes I don’t understand you at all. You’re suddenly more cheerful than usual, now, despite looking depressed two days ago.”</p><p> </p><p>“I just found out some interesting things, that’s all.” He waves him off and prepares to leave, his gaze looking to the sea and there’s a grin on his face that shows no fear for what’s ahead. “Let’s go, yeah?”</p><p> </p><p>He nodded back, (everyone has their secrets), jumping onto the small boat attached to the side of the ship, “Yeah! To new adventures!”</p><p> </p><p>Captain smirks, raising his fist to the air and shouts, flame bursting brighter and mightier than before-</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“I’m going to become the greatest pirate!”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “My name is Ace. Portgas D. Ace!” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Where everyone would know my name, and I’ll surpass even my father!”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Nice to meet you.” </em>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <strong>[Notes]</strong>
</p><p> </p><p><strong>*evil laughter* </strong>We only see from Masked Deuce's POV, but please be aware- Ace is <em>not </em>okay. This story is going to some canon things, but at the same time- Not. Masked Deuce is also, in canon, Ace's first crewmate. He did react like that in the book too, I just kind of based it off him? No physical description for him yet, mostly because it's from his POV, but we'll get there. Some day. It'll be the same as canon. (Not a lot of words, but oh well. I like it.)</p><p> </p><p>Elyssa is gone and out of the picture, won't be seeing from her POV in a while. Might not include Ace's POV for a while too. </p><p> </p><p>Thanks for reading :)</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm back! After how long T_T. </p><p>Tell me what you think? Feel free to ask questions, I'm more than happy to answer them and interact with you in the comments. </p><p>(I'm actually pretty glad it took forever to update. I feel like my writing got better, plus, the chapter totally changed from before.)</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If you like it, then please comment! If you don't know what to comment on- Just comment kudos! :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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